It would be reserved for more discerning types, those who were prepared to spend $10 for a coffee whose beans had been trodden on by the pedicured feet of peasants who live in the clouds and never talk to strangers.

That was the vision presented just a couple of years ago by former CEO Howard Schultz.

He promised there's be 1,000 of these glorious tasting rooms by the end of 2017.

But here we are in 2019. Millennials have less money than everyone hoped they'd have.

And Schultz's successor, Kevin Johnson, has decided that there will be, oh, only six to 10 of these Reserve stores for now.

I worried when Schultz said the Starbucks brand could ascend to the levels of high-quality wine, there to be sniffed, sipped and savored.

At the time, I feared it would be like McDonald's suddenly offering a $10 burger.

For his part, Johnson has the luxury of being a numbers man.

And the numbers appear to be telling him that those who want to pay a little more for their artisan coffee will go to the sort of place that's staffed by the bearded and the sincere and actually offers a slightly more refined Brooklynite experience.

Equally, the likes of McDonald's and Dunkin' are offering a perfectly decent cup of coffee for a lot less than Starbucks.

Which leaves Starbucks having to make more money from the middle.

Which is an uncomfortable place to be.

If you go to many a Starbucks right now, you'll find yourself becoming increasingly frustrated because the baristas are busy making drinks for those who have ordered via the very successful app.

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